According to the Tampa Bay Times, Josh Freeman will not get a contract extension this offseason. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback was one of the hottest passers in football by the middle of the season, but a season-ending slump likely ruined his prospects for an extension. This report comes on the heels of multiple hints that the Buccaneers will look to add competition for Josh Freeman and find another backup quarterback. That may be a kind of insurance for the signal caller, and it looks increasingly likely that the Bucs will look to the middle of the draft for those players, even though mid-round QBs almost never work out.

However, is it possible the Bucs are preparing to move on from Josh Freeman altogether? Certainly, another season of up-and-down play and little progress will prompt the Buccaneers to cut the cord with the talented quarterback. That would be similar to what the franchise did with Steve Young and Vinny Testaverde back in the 1980s, only to see those players have much more success with new teams. At some point, though, a team has to say goodbye -- lest they end up becoming the New York Jets.

Publicly, the Buccaneers still support Freeman. And even departing coaches like Ron Turner have nothing but praise for the 25-year-old quarterback. But how quickly will this change? And if after four years you're still not fully committed, isn't it time to look elsewhere? If the Bucs see a first-round quarterback they like dropping to them, will they really pass up that opportunity? Remember: with Drew Brees as their starting quarterback, the San Diego Chargers did exactly that in 2004 when they selected Eli Manning and then brokered a trade for Philip Rivers.

Last edited by bucsEST96 on Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:19 pm; edited 1 time in total

With Mark Dominik and Greg Schiano's jobs pretty much riding on Josh Freeman, do you really think they're going to be patient? I think if Alex Smith comes at the right price, they pull the trigger.

In the 1st round, I doubt they take a QB. None of them are really worthy of a 1st round selection, except maybe Geno Smith, who will definately be overdrafted.

I like guys like Landry Jones and Ryan Nassib in the middle rounds. But I think Alex Smith will be talked about between Schiano and Dominik. Remember, Schiano wants a physical football team who can move the chains. Smith fits that description and is accurate.

With Mark Dominik and Greg Schiano's jobs pretty much riding on Josh Freeman, do you really think they're going to be patient? I think if Alex Smith comes at the right price, they pull the trigger.

In the 1st round, I doubt they take a QB. None of them are really worthy of a 1st round selection, except maybe Geno Smith, who will definately be overdrafted.

I like guys like Landry Jones and Ryan Nassib in the middle rounds. But I think Alex Smith will be talked about between Schiano and Dominik. Remember, Schiano wants a physical football team who can move the chains. Smith fits that description and is accurate.

Definately then we can focus on improving the defense.

If Alex Smith ends up on this roster it'll be my last day as a Buc fan. Dude is asked to Manage, when only have deep ball WRs which he can't do. I'd take a run at Rivers or Kirk Cousins over smith. Lost his job to basically a rookie

With Mark Dominik and Greg Schiano's jobs pretty much riding on Josh Freeman, do you really think they're going to be patient? I think if Alex Smith comes at the right price, they pull the trigger.

In the 1st round, I doubt they take a QB. None of them are really worthy of a 1st round selection, except maybe Geno Smith, who will definately be overdrafted.

I like guys like Landry Jones and Ryan Nassib in the middle rounds. But I think Alex Smith will be talked about between Schiano and Dominik. Remember, Schiano wants a physical football team who can move the chains. Smith fits that description and is accurate.

Definately then we can focus on improving the defense.

If Alex Smith ends up on this roster it'll be my last day as a Buc fan. Dude is asked to Manage, when only have deep ball WRs which he can't do. I'd take a run at Rivers or Kirk Cousins over smith. Lost his job to basically a rookie

What has Josh Freeman done in this league to warrant him being a better option than Alex Smith? Smith does not have a Freeman arm, but he was 3rd in the NFL in QB rating before being concussed. 1st in Completion percentage.

He can throw the deep ball, maybe not 70 yards down the field. But at mid field can hit that deep shot down the field.

He's accurate, moves the chains. If we improve the defense, we will have a perfect situation for Smith. 2 All pro Guards, a pro bowl LT. Jackson and Mike Williams, and Doug Martin. That will be a perfect situation to come to. Can you trust Freeman in that situation?

With Mark Dominik and Greg Schiano's jobs pretty much riding on Josh Freeman, do you really think they're going to be patient? I think if Alex Smith comes at the right price, they pull the trigger.

In the 1st round, I doubt they take a QB. None of them are really worthy of a 1st round selection, except maybe Geno Smith, who will definately be overdrafted.

I like guys like Landry Jones and Ryan Nassib in the middle rounds. But I think Alex Smith will be talked about between Schiano and Dominik. Remember, Schiano wants a physical football team who can move the chains. Smith fits that description and is accurate.

Definately then we can focus on improving the defense.

If Alex Smith ends up on this roster it'll be my last day as a Buc fan. Dude is asked to Manage, when only have deep ball WRs which he can't do. I'd take a run at Rivers or Kirk Cousins over smith. Lost his job to basically a rookie

What has Josh Freeman done in this league to warrant him being a better option than Alex Smith? Smith does not have a Freeman arm, but he was 3rd in the NFL in QB rating before being concussed. 1st in Completion percentage.

He can throw the deep ball, maybe not 70 yards down the field. But at mid field can hit that deep shot down the field.

He's accurate, moves the chains. If we improve the defense, we will have a perfect situation for Smith. 2 All pro Guards, a pro bowl LT. Jackson and Mike Williams, and Doug Martin. That will be a perfect situation to come to. Can you trust Freeman in that situation?

Dude Alex smith is a scrub. Of course he has great numbers he wasn't asked to carry a team. All those stats............ And he got benched lmao c'mon bri

With Mark Dominik and Greg Schiano's jobs pretty much riding on Josh Freeman, do you really think they're going to be patient? I think if Alex Smith comes at the right price, they pull the trigger.

In the 1st round, I doubt they take a QB. None of them are really worthy of a 1st round selection, except maybe Geno Smith, who will definately be overdrafted.

I like guys like Landry Jones and Ryan Nassib in the middle rounds. But I think Alex Smith will be talked about between Schiano and Dominik. Remember, Schiano wants a physical football team who can move the chains. Smith fits that description and is accurate.

Definately then we can focus on improving the defense.

If Alex Smith ends up on this roster it'll be my last day as a Buc fan. Dude is asked to Manage, when only have deep ball WRs which he can't do. I'd take a run at Rivers or Kirk Cousins over smith. Lost his job to basically a rookie

What has Josh Freeman done in this league to warrant him being a better option than Alex Smith? Smith does not have a Freeman arm, but he was 3rd in the NFL in QB rating before being concussed. 1st in Completion percentage.

He can throw the deep ball, maybe not 70 yards down the field. But at mid field can hit that deep shot down the field.

He's accurate, moves the chains. If we improve the defense, we will have a perfect situation for Smith. 2 All pro Guards, a pro bowl LT. Jackson and Mike Williams, and Doug Martin. That will be a perfect situation to come to. Can you trust Freeman in that situation?

Dude Alex smith is a scrub. Of course he has great numbers he wasn't asked to carry a team. All those stats............ And he got benched lmao c'mon bri

Ok, this is getting ridiculous. I'm as upset as anyone with his play, but your anti-Freeman agenda is out of control at this point.

Alex Smith had a great rating this year, yes. But he did it surrounded by a defense that lets him manage games and he played with 3 talented receivers and a top TE, with a great running game. Smith is good, yes, but if he left SF to come here to learn a whole new system, he'll have growing pains.

Ok, this is getting ridiculous. I'm as upset as anyone with his play, but your anti-Freeman agenda is out of control at this point.

Alex Smith had a great rating this year, yes. But he did it surrounded by a defense that lets him manage games and he played with 3 talented receivers and a top TE, with a great running game. Smith is good, yes, but if he left SF to come here to learn a whole new system, he'll have growing pains.

Ehh there is to a point. Big difference:

Alex Smith is actually a pretty smart QB. He doesn't look confused and has very good poise. He picked Harbaugh's offense up and performed in the playoffs.

Freeman just has that lost puppy look on his face. Looks confused. I mean, next year, we have to play San Fransisco and Seattle. Can you imagine what his body language will look like against those defenses?

Ok, this is getting ridiculous. I'm as upset as anyone with his play, but your anti-Freeman agenda is out of control at this point.

Alex Smith had a great rating this year, yes. But he did it surrounded by a defense that lets him manage games and he played with 3 talented receivers and a top TE, with a great running game. Smith is good, yes, but if he left SF to come here to learn a whole new system, he'll have growing pains.

Agreed. There's not a better option then Free next season, and I'd like to see him in another with Schiano and hopefully Sully. It stinks how the season ended, but I also remember how good he was playing before that. He's not as bad or as good as anyone is making. He deserves the do or die shot he will most likely get in 2013, lets see what happens. It stinks that the last quarter went it how it did, but I still remember how good it was looking before that.

Smith has only thrown over 300+ yards in the last two seasons, never thrown for 20 TDs in his life, and no coach has had the confidence in him to let him throw over 300 times in a season. <--- if you want to play the "if" and "stats". Its easy to have a nice completion percentage, when you rarely throw the ball and when you do in a short throw high completion system. There's a reason SanFran never felt comfortable in him. Do not like he is that smart, he plays in a simplified system with an elite team to hide his weaknesses. He barely did much. I remember how he's looked in his career when he actually had to move the ball down the field. He loses confidence and you can tell how scared he is, Smith does not move the ball well down the field and freaks out in games where has to make plays. Remember him before Jim H came?

How would he do in a system where he did take shots and chances down the field, and his defense did not hand him leads and his coach did not hide his weaknesses? Remember his career a few years ago? His coach saved it, I'll give him credit he's a good backup/good game manager, but lets leave it at that.

& if Smith can turn around his career after his ugly start of his career? Couldn't Freeman put it together for a whole season (he may or may not, but he's definitely capable) after showing a lot of good things?

Get on the yearly Buc carousel. Start off trash. Look better by mid season. Win 2-3 games at the end of the season. Get the 7th pick. Have what most fans consider a great draft and free agency. Start off trash again. Rinse and repeat

I already said I want Barkley....and I know some of you in here said you would not mind getting him in the 3rd but most mock drafts dont even have him making it out of the top 10....from all the ones I seen so far he will not make it past Arizona or Buffalo

Hate to say it but lets stick with Freeman in 2013 and if we go 8-8 or worse, we draft or trade or pickup a new QB_________________

wrote:

Get on the yearly Buc carousel. Start off trash. Look better by mid season. Win 2-3 games at the end of the season. Get the 7th pick. Have what most fans consider a great draft and free agency. Start off trash again. Rinse and repeat

I already said I want Barkley....and I know some of you in here said you would not mind getting him in the 3rd but most mock drafts dont even have him making it out of the top 10....from all the ones I seen so far he will not make it past Arizona or Buffalo

Hate to say it but lets stick with Freeman in 2013 and if we go 8-8 or worse, we draft or trade or pickup a new QB

Sorry don't waste a pick on anyone. Plus if Freeman fails we'll need to make a move to get a QB. Don't waste a pick this year_________________

Last time I checked, the offenses that are successful, have accurate QBs who don't live by the Deep ball and consistent shots down the field.

Need a QB that can be accurate between the sticks.

Sure, Freeman can turn it around. But it's not a good sign when you don't see the poise in Freeman. He looks easily confused. For a guy with his arm strenght, he under throws a lot of easy throws.

When is the last time you checked, exactly? The Giants won the Superbowl last year with Eli Manning at QB (58.6% career completion percentage, never completing 63% of his passes in a single season). He plays out of the run and shoot, an offense that relies heavily on deep passing plays. It's the same offense that we run. That same Eli Manning has 2 Superbowl MVPs and his offense has been in the top-10 in each of the last 5 seasons.

Your point holds no water. None.

With regards to the thread, this was pretty much expected. He killed his chances of an extension down the stretch._________________